Soap Box

Posted on 09.10.2018

9/11 Memories

As the seventeenth anniversary of that fateful time in American history approaches, the memories of that day and the days afterwards spring vividly into my consciousness as images of America in shock and confusion, as I had never seen it.

I will never forget where I was and what I was doing, I was in Nashville taking care of some business, had no access to TV and when Charlie Jr. called me and told me about it, I remember thinking that the first plane that crashed into the trade tower was a terrible commercial airline accident and then when the second plane hit, realizing that my country was under attack.

Of course, a little later in the day when yet another plane crashed into the Pentagon and into a field in Pennsylvania, it became abundantly clear what was happening, but increasingly more confusing about who was doing it and just how far it would go.

Were there more planes that had been commandeered and were still in the air on the way to a crash destination?

Were there underground cells around the country who would bring the attacks to the streets?

Within a few hours, the confusion turned to anger and then the anger turned to white-hot fury and America only waited for the culprit to be identified to know who to vent their vengeance toward.

As our anger boiled, our patriotism bubbled to the top and America came together as I had not experienced it since the “we’re all in this thing together” days of the Second World War.

Absolutely nobody would have had the guts to kneel during the playing of the National Anthem and American flags were on display everywhere.

We were playing that weekend in Harrison, Arkansas and I’ll never forget the sights on the drive out. Old Glory was flying from the backs of 18 wheelers, radio aerials, flagpoles and buildings and the fast food marquees all along the highway carried slogans like “God Bless America” and “Pray for America”.

All the stores were sold out of American flags, you couldn’t buy one anywhere and many newspapers printed a full-page flag so people could at least have a paper one.

America was locked and loaded and ready to rain vengeance down on the guilty. Our military was on high alert, all non-military air traffic was grounded, the president was moved to a safe strategic site and we all became “minutemen” to some extent that day as shotguns and rifles were within easy reach and we watched the sky and the streets.

A lot has happened in those short 17 years. We have fought two wars, both by someone else’s rules of engagement, in many instances tying the hands of our military in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation that made a clear win in either war impossible.

We had a president for eight years who started his term by bowing to the king of a country where the scumbags who flew the planes that killed nearly 3000 Americans in one fell swoop were born.

The same president instigated a program to allow thousands from nations who hate us and had not been properly vetted to come into our country.

He also lifted sanctions and sent a planeload of cash to the world’s number one exporter of terrorism and drew meaningless red lines that our enemies crossed with impunity.

So here we are in 2018, still the number one terrorist target in the world, with a new president who has wreaked havoc on ISIS, revoked the ridiculously one-sided treaty with Iran, beefed up our military, and, so far, has stood behind the things he has said he was going to do.

Are we safer?

I think so, in a cautious sort of way.

Would we react with instant and white-hot fury to any attack on America?

I think so, and I believe our enemies know that.

The only good terrorist is a dead terrorist, and if and when America is attacked, it is our job to make as many that way as we possibly can.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops, our police and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

— Charlie Daniels

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Comments

Comments

9/11 Memories

I know us veterans, at least most I know spent the day working and the evening cleaning guns. There's been all hell raising about school shootings and they find the Muslims out training kids to do it and no big deal. Makes me wonder about our government even more.Posted by David

Reality

Charlie - your defense of the president is truly pathetic. In a year or so, even you will realize this.
Had Obama insulted a war hero for getting caught, make fun of a journalist with a deformity, and bragged about grabbing women's private parts, I suspect you would be on a tirade as to how these actions showed that the person was not fit to be president.
The actions above by the POTUS are far more contentious than athletes kneeling during a football game.
No one seems to have any trouble with fans buying beer and food during the national anthem. I guess gorging is ok, but protesting is not.Posted by Paul

9/11

You do not remember and honor the people who died by attacking Barack Obama. Save the politics for some other day.Posted by Dana

LOVE how you take a day that's supposed to be ponderous and unifying and make it political, Daniels!

Mr. Daniels -- your opening page is quite divisive. You pick today to bring up Benghazi? Really? A reactionary red "person" like yourself will spend hours perpetuating a stated belief that all Americans need to come together and support our current "president", yet you spent the whole of the last president's term, Barack Obama, attacking Obama for not uttering "War on Terror", wanting to help all Americans acquire some form of health care, entering the national debate on the murder of Trayvon Martin etc. You even insinuated in one of your more notably ill-advised posts, that Pres. Obama was more "Muslim" then "Christian"? Indeed, you embraced birther conspiracies in all their deluded eloquence as they tried to delegitimize Pres. Obama's presidency.
You seem to contradict yourself in just about all of your postings; you stated Pres. Obama was race baiting (whatever that is) when he mentioned the Trayvon Martin case, yet also said he had an opportunity to diffuse racial tensions (?). Well - you would've called him a race-baiter if he -- as you believe -- attempted to diffuse tensions. It's also telling that you believe Obama wasn't Christian, but believe Trump -- the perpetually lying, proven racist, and habitually adulterous -- is Christian.
Man -- it's 9/11, and you start by attacking our last president? You bring up Benghazi? You should really not that the biggest attack on American civilians occurred under one George W. Bush, who you lauded daily, as per your partisan tendencies in such matters. This occurred because his administration basically ignored some 8+ years of intelligence about Al Queda colleced by the Clinton administration and passed on. So - you can scream Benghazi all you want, but there's really no comparison.
Mr. Daniels - you have an incredibly myopic (read: bigoted) worldview with regards to what constitutes patriotism, inclusion and being American. You repeatedly show why a LOT of people don't really believe much has changed in southern thought with regards to issues like class, race, gender etc.

*NOTE* Just for the record, Benghazi occurred on 9/11/12 which is why Charlie mentioned it. - TeamCDBPosted by Mervin

Scumbags

Amen, Amen & Amen Charlie I could not agree with you more on your soapbox on 9/11. Let's not forget that George Bush #41 announced "A New World Order" on 9/11/1991. Reading some of the comments make me wonder if the Muslim Obama is sharing his stash of wacky tobacky. Obama bowed to the scumbags because he is one of them. nuff said God Bless PlowboyPosted by Plowboy

The way I see it is 9/11 happened 17 years ago

and while we never should forget those that died that day, our country really has moved on from the '9/11' mindset. People DO have the guts to take a knee today because we realize the false patriotism sold to us on 9/11 was a complete lie. How are we any better than the terrorists if American citizens are killed by law enforcement officers just because of the color of their skin? How are we any better than the terrorists when we implement a policy that divides children from their families? You can only hide behind patriotism for so long before people start to realize you're full of you-know-what.Posted by Nick

Something to keep in mind

No, Obama was not a terrorist nor a prostitute nor was he born in Kenya. This day reminds us of one thing, that no matter how much we may disagree there are lesser people who will be jealous of our freedoms. As Americans, it is something we share. We are free and there are people who hate us for it.Posted by Dana

9/11 will never be the same.

Great article Charlie spot on. Memories, how they linger.Posted by Jeff

Commentary

The enemy still walks among us wearing other disguises and claims moral superiority. Recognize them.Posted by Scott

9/11 memories

A true patriot! I appreciate you Sir!Posted by Sheila

9/11

We are not safer now than before 9/11. The last President was the apologizer-in-chief and was impotent as President. I served in the US Army, in part to make this Country safer for my family. Then, Obama came in to office and destroyed the sacrifices that so many in the military had made up unto that point. I know Trump has had some issues, some of which I don't agree with, but I do love that he supports our military by allowing them to do their job. Because of him and his policies, our military has made more gains against ISIS in less than 2 years than Obama allowed the military to do in 8! Also, I'm glad to see a celebrity who is not afraid to speak their mind. You've always been an inspiration to me. I'm glad I found your blog!Posted by Eric

Willie O'Rourke Concert

Could you please help counter Willies concert for O'Rourke by organizing an event to show support for Ted Cruz. I would take off work and travel the 300 miles from home to attendPosted by Ben

Willie O/Rourke event

Please help Texas elect a conservative to the Senate. Please see if there's anything you can do to organize an event to out do Willie's concert in the socialist republic in AustinPosted by Ben

Paul's comment below...

Paul, nobody would make any claim to President Trump being a perfect human being. You're obviously a liberal with the usual shabby assemblage of anti-Trump talking points - fair enough, you're welcome to your opinions. But to compare Trumps occassional speaking gaffes to the kinds of treasonous actions of our former POTUS simply magnifies your poor judgement and bias. Sorry, Charlie was right, you're oh so wrong in your viewpoint and time will instead reveal the true evil behind the Obama administration and its operatives.Posted by Dave